India’s parliament has passed a landmark bill outlawing online gambling, citing growing concerns over financial losses, addiction, and suicides linked to the industry.

The legislation, approved late Thursday, August 21, by both houses, criminalises the offering, promotion, and financing of online gambling platforms, with violators facing up to five years in prison.

It covers card games, poker, and fantasy sports  including India’s hugely popular fantasy cricket apps.

Government figures revealed that gambling companies had extracted an estimated $2.3 billion annually from more than 450 million Indians. Officials said nearly one in three citizens had lost money on gambling apps.

The ban casts uncertainty over Indian cricket’s biggest sponsorship deal. Fantasy sports giant Dream11, named in July 2023 as the lead sponsor of the national team, has its logo splashed across Team India’s jerseys.

While no announcement has yet been made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), its secretary Devajit Saikia said the board would comply with the law.

“If it’s not permissible, we’ll not do anything,” Saikia said on Friday. “The BCCI will follow every policy framed by the central government.”

Dream11 has since suspended cash contests, telling users on its website: “Following the passing of the bill, cash games and contests have been discontinued. Stay tuned.”

‘Predatory Platforms’

The government defended the move as necessary to protect vulnerable citizens from what it called “predatory gaming platforms.”

“This legislation is designed to curb addiction, financial ruin and social distress caused by misleading promises of quick wealth,” a statement read.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi added that the new law would encourage safe digital gaming while shielding society from the harmful effects of gambling.

“It will encourage e-sports and online social games,” Modi said, “while saving our society from the dangers of online money games.”

The sweeping ban does not cover e-sports or educational games, which the government said it would continue to promote as part of India’s growing digital economy.

Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained that the bill draws a clear line between competitive online gaming and gambling.

“It separates constructive digital recreation from betting and fantasy money games that exploit users with false promises of profit,” he said.

Gaming industry groups had lobbied for regulation and taxation instead of an outright ban, warning the decision could push millions of players toward illegal offshore platforms.

But lawmakers insisted the social costs were too severe to ignore.

Beyond addiction and financial ruin, officials said gambling apps had been linked to fraud, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.

The bill, titled the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, now awaits presidential assent before taking effect.

Once signed into law, it is expected to transform India’s vast online gaming landscape, placing heavy restrictions on one of the world’s largest digital markets while reshaping its $1.5 billion fantasy sports industry.

The United Kingdom has announced sweeping new sentencing powers that will see criminals banned from football matches, pubs, concerts, and even restricted from traveling under a set of toughened community punishments designed to curb reoffending.

The reforms, unveiled on Sunday, August 24, 2025, as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “Plan for Change,” will allow judges to impose far-reaching restrictions such as travel bans, driving limits, and geographical exclusion zones on offenders serving community sentences.

According to the government, the measures aim to reinforce accountability and ensure criminals who avoid prison still face meaningful consequences.

Wider Scope of Punishments

Currently, judges can only impose bans tied to specific crimes such as prohibiting football hooligans from attending matches.

Under the new plan, courts will be empowered to apply similar restrictions more broadly, regardless of the offence, ensuring punishment extends beyond traditional fines or community service.

“These new punishments should remind all offenders that, under this government, crime does not pay,” said Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood.

“Those serving their sentences in the community must have their freedom restricted there, too.

Rightly, the public expects us to do everything possible to keep Britain safe, and that is exactly what we are doing.”

Drug Testing and Probation Monitoring

The policy changes also expand supervision for offenders leaving prison.

Those under the Probation Service will face tighter restrictions, including mandatory drug testing not only for known addicts but also for offenders without prior drug histories.

The government said any offender who breaches these new conditions could be returned to court or sent back to prison, depending on their sentence.

Investment in Prisons and Probation

The new sentencing powers are being introduced alongside wider reforms to address the strain on Britain’s prisons.

Since July 2024, the government says over 2,400 new prison places have been opened, with £7 billion earmarked to create a total of 14,000 additional spaces as the prison population continues to rise.

The Probation Service is also receiving what officials describe as “the biggest investment in a generation,” with funding expected to increase by £700 million by 2028/29, up from the current £1.6 billion annual budget.

Recruitment has seen a boost as well: probation officer numbers rose by 7% in the past year, while trainee recruits grew by 15%.

The government pledged to hire 1,300 more probation staff this year, following the recruitment of 1,000 in 2024.

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Technology is also set to play a role, with the Ministry of Justice highlighting plans to deploy artificial intelligence tools to ease paperwork burdens and allow officers to focus more on supervising high-risk offenders.

“Keeping Communities Safe”

Officials argue the new measures will close loopholes in existing sentencing powers, prevent anti-social behaviour, and reassure the public that offenders cannot simply “walk free” after committing crimes.

“Crime damages communities, and when criminals break society’s rules, they must be punished,” Mahmood stressed.

The reforms will be tabled in Parliament in the coming months as part of the government’s wider overhaul of the justice system.

The Trump administration has announced a sweeping review of more than 55 million foreigners holding US visas, aiming to identify potential violations that could trigger visa revocation or deportation.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the State Department confirmed that all visa holders are now subject to “continuous vetting.”

Officials will examine any indicators of ineligibility, including overstaying authorised periods, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engagement in terrorism, or support for terrorist organisations.

If authorities find evidence of such violations, they will revoke the visa, and individuals already in the US could face immediate deportation.

Officials stressed that the review targets both individuals residing in the United States and those holding multiple-entry visas abroad.

Since assuming office, President Donald Trump has prioritized strict immigration enforcement, targeting not only undocumented migrants but also holders of student and visitor exchange visas.

The current vetting process extends far beyond prior reviews, potentially affecting individuals who initially received approval to stay in the US.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, last year the US had 12.8 million green-card holders and 3.6 million people on temporary visas.

Immigration policy expert Julia Gelatt of the Migration Policy Institute noted that the 55 million figure likely includes individuals living abroad with tourist or business visas. She questioned whether allocating resources to review people unlikely to return justifies the scale of the initiative.

Alongside the review, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on X that the US will immediately halt work visas for commercial truck drivers, citing safety risks and threats to American jobs.

“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio wrote.

The administration recently strengthened English proficiency requirements for foreign truckers following incidents where language barriers contributed to accidents. State Department officials confirmed they are pausing the processing of new work visas to reassess screening and vetting protocols.

“Ensuring that every driver meets the highest standards protects American workers and maintains a secure, resilient supply chain,” the department added.

Experts warn the broader implications of the review could ripple across the US economy. Edward Alden, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, explained that the administration’s policies aim to discourage companies, universities, and hospitals from employing foreign workers.

“The economic consequences will extend far beyond individual visas,” Alden said, emphasizing that employers risk compliance issues if they continue hiring foreign staff.

The review represents the most comprehensive enforcement action in recent US history and signals that the administration will aggressively monitor both legal and temporary visa holders to maintain national security and prioritize domestic employment.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a fierce warning to Hamas, declaring that Gaza City will face complete destruction if the militant group refuses to accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war.

Katz, in a statement shared on social media on Friday, August 22, 2025, used sharp words to describe Israel’s next steps.

He said the “gates of hell” would open on Hamas if it failed to disarm and release all hostages.

“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza until they agree to Israel’s conditions,” Katz wrote.

He added that if Hamas refused, Gaza City would suffer the same fate as Rafah and Beit Hanoun, two cities previously flattened by Israeli offensives.

His comments mark one of Israel’s strongest warnings since the escalation of the conflict.

The minister’s remarks came only hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that negotiations had been ordered to free the hostages held in Gaza.

Netanyahu explained in a video address that Israel’s military operation in Gaza City would not stop during talks. “Defeating Hamas and releasing our hostages go hand in hand,” he said.

The prime minister also confirmed the mobilisation of 60,000 reservists to join the offensive.

Meanwhile, mediators have been waiting for Israel’s response to a ceasefire plan that Hamas accepted earlier in the week.

The proposal suggests a phased release of hostages, but Israel insists that only a deal ensuring the release of all captives at once will be accepted.

Israel’s hardened stance has sparked growing concern worldwide.

International leaders have cautioned that an expanded assault on Gaza City could worsen the humanitarian disaster already unfolding in the region.

Gaza’s health ministry says more than 62,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began.

The United Nations considers these figures credible.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which left 1,219 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians.

Since then, the conflict has intensified, with both sides showing little sign of compromise.

With Katz’s threat to turn Gaza City into rubble if demands are not met, the conflict appears to be entering an even deadlier stage.

The international community continues to press for a ceasefire, but Israel’s leadership insists that victory over Hamas and the release of all hostages remain its top priorities.

Canada has carried out a new Express Entry lottery, inviting thousands of skilled workers to apply for permanent residency.

Financial Express report that the Announcement which came on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, marks one of the most significant rounds this year.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 4,200 candidates in the latest Express Entry draw.

The invitations were sent under the no-program-specified category, which means candidates from all economic immigration programs were considered.

To qualify, candidates needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 507 points.

This cut-off is higher than several recent rounds, showing rising competition in Canada’s immigration pool.

Breakdown of Recent Express Entry Draws

The August 20 general draw came just a week after Canada held two smaller, targeted draws.

On August 14, 2025, IRCC issued 1,500 invitations in a Healthcare category-based draw, with a minimum CRS of 430.

On August 13, 2025, another STEM occupation draw invited 1,000 candidates, with a CRS cut-off of 481.

This means Canada has invited more than 6,700 candidates in August alone, highlighting its steady demand for skilled workers.

Why Express Entry Remains Key

The Express Entry system is Canada’s main pathway for skilled migration. It manages applications for three major programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Through this system, candidates are ranked by CRS points based on age, education, work experience, language skills, and adaptability. Higher scores improve the chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Impact of the Rising CRS

The 507-point cut-off has sparked concern among applicants.

Many worry that higher thresholds make it harder to qualify unless they boost their profiles with stronger English or French test results, higher education, or Canadian job offers.

Immigration experts note that Canada is prioritizing candidates who are more likely to integrate quickly into the economy.

With rising competition, applicants may need to explore provincial nomination programs (PNPs), which can add up to 600 extra CRS points.

Canada’s Immigration Targets

Despite higher CRS cut-offs, Canada’s immigration outlook remains ambitious.

The government has pledged to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.

Skilled workers make up a large share of this intake.

With labor shortages in sectors like healthcare, technology, and construction, Canada continues to use Express Entry to attract foreign talent.

What Applicants Should Do

Experts recommend that prospective migrants keep their profiles updated and monitor both general and category-based draws.

Targeted draws for healthcare, STEM, and trades occupations often have lower CRS cut-offs, giving candidates more opportunities.

For those struggling to meet the high CRS threshold, exploring study routes in Canada, provincial nominations, or job offers may increase chances.

The August 20 Express Entry draw shows Canada’s ongoing commitment to skilled immigration.

With over 4,200 invitations issued and CRS cut-offs climbing, the competition is intense.

However, the system continues to provide multiple entry points for determined applicants worldwide.